Instructions for Preparing the Stake, District, Ward, or Branch Annual History Purpose and families qualify for exaltation. For example, Preparing and submitting an annual history helps ful- a bishop may identify a few goals for the ward !ll the Lord’s charge: “Continue in writing and mak- early in the year and then invite the ward council ing a history of all the important things . concern- to contribute stories and photographs giving ing my church. And also, my servants who are details on how each organization worked to abroad in the earth should send forth the accounts of achieve these goals. their stewardships” (D&C 69:3, 5). 6. Signi!cant records created by or about the unit, Overview such as: Compiling the annual history should begin in January Н1IPUPHSBQITUIBUBSFDMFBSMZJEFOUJԣFE and continue throughout the year. Every ward should and dated. create its own history and submit it to the stake. The stake combines the ward histories with its own report Н/FXTMFUUFST and submits a single annual history to the Church. Н4QFDJBMQSPHSBNTBOEQVCMJDBUJPOT Branches and districts follow this same pattern. Priesthood leaders begin by assigning the respon- Н1IPUPDPQJFTPGOFXTQBQFSDMJQQJOHT JODMVEF sibility for compiling the history to the ward or stake information that will identify the newspaper clerk, an assistant clerk, or a history specialist and the date it was published). working under the clerk’s direction. The assigned /PUFUIBUDPOԣEFOUJBMPSQSJWBUFJOGPSNBUJPOJTUZQJ- person should gather material throughout the year cally not included in the annual history. and should invite others to contribute stories and information. Submission Annual History Annual Ward and branch histories are due to the stake or What to Include district no later than March 1. Stake and district There are two options for compiling the annual histories are due to the Church History Department history: basic or comprehensive. The priesthood or the assigned administrative of!ce no later than Year leader, considering the circumstances of his Church March 31. Copies of the history may be retained unit, will determine which option to follow. locally. A basic annual history should contain: Stakes and districts in the United States and Canada 1. A cover sheet. should mail the original version of the annual history to: 2. A brief narrative describing the year’s important $)63$))*4503:%&1"35.&/5 events and developments. Include faith-building "//6"-)*4503: stories. &"45/035)5&.1-&453&&5 SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84150-1600 3. The unit’s calendar. Units outside the United States and Canada should 4. The Of!cers Sustained forms read at ward and mail their histories to the assigned administrative stake conferences. of!ce. In addition to the four items above, a comprehensive For additional information, cover sheets, and tem- history contains: plates, see Church History Guides: Stake, District, and Mission Annual Histories or visit lds.org/ 5. Reports from priesthood and auxiliary leaders annualhistories. summarizing their efforts to help individuals .